Let Me Show You How
by durancedurance
Summary: Emma finally decides to reunite Regina and Henry, taking it upon herself to teach Regina how to love her son again, properly this time. Along the way Emma learns from Regina how to deal with her family, and perhaps how to use that magic buried within. Perhaps happy endings can still happen in this world. Totally Swan Queen on the horizon.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Hey there OUAT gang. I'm a huuuuge fan of the show but this is my first crack at a fic in this arena, so ummm, yeah I hope you welcome me with open arms and hopefully this story won't suck. I'm a Regina stan for life, a proud Evil Regal, and I just clamored aboard the Swan Queen ship less than a week ago. It's like I woke up and suddenly everything was magical lesbians. So naturally I'm working out some feelings via fic. I'm not sure where I'm going with it, and who knows what may happen in the final episodes coming up here, but I hope you like what I write and I hope you enjoy the ride as much as me. Here we goooo (off to Neverland? No I'm joking. OR AM I?)

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The perfectly manicured lawn looked pristine in the morning sunshine. There wasn't a shrub out of place, and the town was so still that not a single leaf moved in the trees. The backyard was quiet as well, the apple tree returned to its former glory, the apples still wet with what was left of the morning dew. Yes, the former mayor's estate was quiet..._too_ quiet. It was an eerie sort of calm, and one that Regina didn't particularly welcome.

The house was silent, and in the kitchen she held a cup of warm coffee close to her face. Her home had been quiet for a while now, ever since Henry had left. No thudding footfalls up and down the stairs, the sound of him at play in his bedroom, clanging in the kitchen as he helped his mother to prepare dinner. It was just Regina, in a house that truly was too large for just one person. She didn't watch television really, and she hadn't had the urge to listen to music lately. Everything was quiet, and it was beginning to irritate the hell out of the former queen.

Silence left Regina with merely her thoughts, and that was often a place she never wanted to spend time. Especially since she was still reeling from the death of her mother. She might have been a truly horrifying one, but she was her only one. To have known that all she had needed was her heart, that she would have loved her all along if it weren't for that essential organ...and then to have it all ripped from her. It was too much. Regina vowed she'd get revenge on Snow, but now that she knew Snow was destroying herself, slowly but surely, Regina had decided she'd lay low for the time being. Still, her life was too quiet, and entirely too empty.

In the late morning quiet Regina could easily hear the sound of a vehicle coming to a halt in front of the house. That was strange, it wasn't as if anyone dropped by the evil queen's home these days. She'd already been confronted by Snow, so Regina couldn't imagine anyone else would come to bother her solitude. But her ears had not deceived her, and there came a quick succession of knocks on the heavy front door. Regina set down her coffee mug and made her way into the foyer, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion. If it wasn't Snow coming to snivel on her front porch again then...

"Ah," Regina sighed as she swung open the heavy door and took in her visitor. "Miss Swan."

"Um, hey," Emma said, shifting her weight uncomfortably. "I know this seems really strange and sort of out of the blue here but..."

Regina waited politely for Emma to finish her question. The woman looked incredibly uncomfortable, fidgeting in her skinny jeans and playing with the zipper of her blue leather jacket. "Do you have a point Miss Swan?"

"Can I come in?" Emma managed to blurt out. "We need to talk."

Regina merely quirked an eyebrow at the blonde. What could they possibly have to talk about?

"And why would we need to talk?"

"About Henry," Emma said, giving the mayor an awkward smile.

"Please, come in," Regina replied, stepping back and waving her hand to permit entrance to her home. She attempted to sound calm and cordial but it still escaped from her lips with a bit of a sneer. Some things never change.

Emma followed the brunette woman into her parlor. She took a seat as she watched her pour two glasses of scotch, taking one with a smile as Regina sat across from her. "I like your style. Wake up and start in on the good stuff," Emma chuckled. Regina took a large pull from her drink, ignoring the comment, and smoothed her charcoal grey skirt as she arranged herself on the sofa. Somehow, even though Emma knew the woman's life was falling to pieces, she managed to keep that regal grace that could only belong to a queen, albeit an evil one. The pair were quiet for a moment before Regina spoke up.

"You wanted to talk about Henry Miss Swan?" she prompted.

"Right," Emma said with a sigh. "First of all, let me just say, I'm sorry for your loss." Her voice was quiet and soft, and Regina's eyes snapped up from her tumbler to look at the green eyes sitting across from her.

"What do you care?" she spat. Regina's eyes flashed and her nostrils flared.

"What Mary Margaret...Snow...did, it wasn't right. Regardless of the fact that your terrifying mother would have slain us all. And regardless of the fact that you were following along."

Regina took another long pull of scotch. She really didn't want to be having this conversation with Emma Swan of all people, and especially not right now. "You wanted to speak about Henry?" she prompted, steering the conversation to safer waters.

"Right," Emma practically grunted, taking the hint. She had to say it though, had to express some form of sympathy. She'd only just discovered her own family, and she couldn't imagine losing any of them now. Especially Henry. "Listen, Henry, I think he misses you."

Regina snorted at that. How could he possibly? As if having him believe she was the evil queen wasn't bad enough, when magic came back to Storybrooke he finally _knew _without a doubt that she was. What's worse, he knew she'd been lying all along. Granted, she'd done it all for his own good, but children aren't aware they're being shielded from awful things and told white lies to keep their world safe and pure. Henry was sometimes infuriatingly too much like her. On top of all of that, he'd seen her make even more bad choices as things in the town progressed. After her mother died she decided to give up. She couldn't compete with Emma, she never could. And so she'd given in to the quiet, for now.

"He doesn't miss me Miss Swan," she said softly. "He's got you now. And your parents. Hell, the whole town. Everyone loves that little boy and somehow the only person he doesn't return the feeling for is me. And how could he?"

Emma swallowed, her grip on the tumbler of scotch tightening without her noticing. She didn't realize just how upset Regina was at losing Henry. She had an idea, but the former queen and mayor was so good at hiding her emotions (well, besides anger) and it was difficult to see how much it had affected her. "I think he does. Sure I'm the...savior...whatever, but I'm not the one who raised him for ten years. Just because I broke this stupid curse and everyone knows who they are, it doesn't mean you haven't been his mother for the last ten years. And yeah, you've done some real stupid shit since I showed up, but I can't imagine you did anything particularly horrible before then, right?"

Regina averted her eyes at that last statement. She had no desire to reveal some of her misdeeds upon arriving in this world, or how she had even began her quest to adopt Henry. "I've made plenty of mistakes here as well."

"Yeah, well, we're all human. Er, well you and I are at least," Emma said with a shrug. "I think," she amended, wondering if perhaps the former queen still had some magical secret up her sleeve. Regina rolled her eyes.

"I'm entirely human Miss Swan, but I'm afraid reciting such a platitude will never win over the rest of this town, or more importantly, my son," she replied with a sad smile. "Which I believe you're here to talk about. You still haven't made your point."

"I need your help," Emma admitted softly. Regina eyes got wide and she nearly spit up some of her scotch.

"What?!"

"I need your help Regina. Henry misses you. He maybe won't admit it to your face but I can tell he does. And I...I'm not sure how to be a parent. I'm trying, but the kid needs some normalcy. I don't know how to give him that! Hell, I don't know what normal_ is_ anymore. And I think if he spent more time with you he'd get more of that normalcy back. I think he'd be happier."

"You want me to help you be a better parent? To _my _son?" Regina asked, her eyes throwing daggers at the blonde across from her. Emma watched as the older woman's entire body tensed up.

"No...not that. I just, I want you to be in his life more. I think it's important," Emma pleaded. She knew Regina would do anything for her son, and she hoped the woman could look past the quarrels and problems she'd had with Emma and her family for his sake.

"So what then? You want to share him with me like we're a couple of divorced parents?" Regina asked, calmer than before but still on edge.

"I just want him to be happy."

"I was taking care of that just fine until you showed up," Regina sneered. Somehow she immediately regretted saying it.

"Hey!" Emma yelled, standing up and pointing her finger at the cool brunette. "I didn't ask for Henry to show up at my place in Boston. I didn't ask for you to push my buttons and make me want to stay here. And I _certainly_ didn't ask to be the savior, the daughter of some fairytale characters, or _any_ of this."

Emma was panting slightly after her rant, her body rigid as she stood before Regina. Coolly she replied, "On the contrary, I believe you did. Something about wishing on a cupcake...?"

"That's bullshit," Emma grunted.

"Is it Miss Swan?" Regina asked, a smile creeping into her features. "Or was it simply the first time you tapped into what you now know is inside you?"

"Don't start with me," Emma warned.

"I'm just being honest dear. And regardless of how you feel about the situation, Henry seems to believe you're the better parent. I'm no longer his mother, I'm just the evil queen," she said sadly, turning her attention back to her tumbler of scotch.

"You know that's not true, and you know I'm not a better parent. Just...different. I gave him up for a reason, but now he's in my life again. I always thought of myself as being the 'cool aunt' type anyways. If I ever had siblings that is."

Regina snorted at that. "Ugh, I can't imagine those idiots having another child."

"Me either, quite frankly," Emma sighed. Regina's eyebrow went up at her comment. There was something sad but ultimately delightful about the way Emma Swan regarded her parents.

"There's still time," Regina said with a smile- a smile that was more evil queen than former mayor. She couldn't resist baiting the blonde.

"Oh god," Emma replied, feigning gagging. She made her way over to the bar to refill her glass. As she turned around to come back to her seat, a small grin began to form on her lips. "You know, by all accounts, you're my grandmother."

Again, Regina struggled to contain her scotch and she coughed as the liquid nearly went down the wrong pipe. "Please, I'm your _step_-grandmother. I don't have any relation to you Miss Swan."

"Not by blood maybe," Emma said, her tone becoming soft once more, "but by marriage. And we have Henry. Whether you like it or not, you're part of my family Regina."

"And what about Neal?" Regina asked, eyeing the sheriff over her glass. "Isn't he part of your family. Why aren't you all running off into the sunset together?"

Damn. Emma had hoped Regina would leave well enough alone, but it figured she'd bring up Henry's father. Emma was still struggling with the fact that he was actually Baelfire, and his father was Rumplestiltskin. She wasn't thrown by the fact that she hadn't seen him since she'd gone to prison for him, but then, she didn't really care about him anymore. Now she wasn't sure how to feel, mostly because she wasn't sure how Henry felt about it. She didn't like that she was now technically related to Mr. Gold. At this point she was practically related to every damn person in town. The thing that irked her most was that it was as if her whole life had been designed by Mr. Gold. Did she make the decisions that led her to the place she was now, or was it all part of his design?

"Miss Swan?" Regina prompted, pulling Emma out of her thoughts.

"I'm...Neal is Henry's father. That's all."

"And Rumple's son," Regina stated pointedly. It was a fact she wasn't likely to forget.

"Yeah...that too," Emma sighed. "He's got a fiance. I haven't felt anything for him for a very long time, and I'm honestly glad he's safe and happy. I'll deal with the fact that he may be back in Henry's life, but I don't think he's interested. And I'm not sure if I want him in it. The fact that he's Gold's son is more..._annoying_, than anything else really."

Regina was surprised by Emma's admission. She thought for certain that they'd be just like Emma's parents. True love, happy endings, all that ridiculous nonsense. And then to find that she didn't want him in Henry's life, and was upset by his lineage. Her eyebrows knit together in confusion as she asked, "What's so annoying?"

"I'm just starting to feel like nothing in my life up until I broke your curse was my own," Emma admitted quietly. Regina was silent. She was only too aware of what it was like to have every decision made for you, to have your whole life mapped out by someone else, to find that even the decisions you thought you made on your own were orchestrated by someone else. It had been like that her entire life. She never thought that Emma would admit to feeling the same way, and she was probably right. In many ways Rumplestiltskin had planned out much of the young woman's life, as well as her own.

"What do you propose we do about Henry?" Regina asked, her throat sticking. She wasn't sure why she felt so upset by Emma's words, but it had too easily stuck a chord in her. She coughed and set her features into her determined and regal norm.

"How about we start by having a few meals together?" Emma said, glad that the older woman was changing the topic from strange and difficult issues.

"All three of us?" Regina asked, one of her eyebrows going up in question and a hint of disdain.

"Yes, all three of us. I'm not comfortable just leaving him with you at this point."

"Excuse me, but he's still _my _son, and he was alone with me for _ten years_," Regina said through gritted teeth. She could feel her magic tingling in her fingertips, an automatic response her body made whenever she got angry.

"Yeah, and just the other day you tried to put a curse on him to force him to love you," Emma replied coolly, one of her eyebrows going up in a challenge.

"I destroyed that curse. You watched me do it," Regina said, her teeth still gritted, but with less venom than before. The tingling in her fingers died away.

"I know you did. You did the right thing. Contrary to popular belief in this town, I think you're trying to do the right thing, and Henry does too. He loves you, and he'll show it in his own way, and not because you forced him. It's going to take time. But you'll just have to deal with the fact that I still don't trust you. Not right now anyways."

"Fine," Regina snarled. She could tolerate Emma's presence if it meant she got to spend time with Henry. She hated that Emma could sway her like this, but then the sheriff had always seemed to know just how to push Regina's buttons.

"How about lunch tomorrow at Granny's? Around noon?"

"Making sure to be in public in case I try something?" Regina asked, standing up and taking Emma's empty tumbler out of her hands. Her fingers brushed the blonde's just barely, and her spine shivered.

"I can't seem to make a cup of cocoa as good as Granny's at home," Emma shrugged. As she stood up and made her way to the study door all Regina could do was blink. "I can see myself out," Emma said as she turned around in the doorway. She gave the former mayor a soft smile, and her eyes crinkled at the edges. "Have a great rest of your day Regina."

Before she could respond, Emma was out into the foyer, and then she heard the front door click shut. Regina stood in her now empty study, holding both tumblers, her breath slow and even. Did...did all of that just happen? She shook her head, and her black heels clicked on the floor as she made her way into the kitchen. She set the tumblers into the sink, and looked once more out on the lawn. The morning was just over, and yet somehow it felt like a brand new day entirely.

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**A/N: **Reviews and messages are always welcome, and if you'ld like to get to know me personally at all you can follow my tumblr if you'd like. Just message me and say hello and I'll link you if you'd like to follow. Can't wait to write more, hope you enjoyed the opener!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I have to apologize for being so slow on updating this story. Last week I began training for a new job and I have quite a commute to where training is taking place and not many days off. These two ladies have been in my brain the whole time though! I managed to write a little on breaks (sorry if it's choppy and sloppy), enough for a quick update. I have so much more planned though! Thanks for the reviews for the first chapter, and hope you enjoy this one.**

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Henry's face was in some contorted squint when Emma turned around to face him at the kitchen island. She set down his bowl and the milk she'd just fetched out of the fridge. "Ok kid don't give me that look. I thought this is what you wanted."

"I don't know..." Henry whined.

"What don't you know?" David asked happily as he came down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"About seeing my mom," Henry said as he poured his cereal into the bowl. David took a seat beside him at the island and gave Emma a questioning look.

Emma rolled her eyes and sighed. It annoyed her how David looked at her like she was some stupid teenager who continued to make really poor choices. At least he only gave her disparaging looks and refrained from actually chastising her. "We're having lunch with Regina today."

"Really?" David asked, turning to address Henry.

"Emma says it'll be good for me. She thinks I miss my mom," Henry mumbled between spoonfuls of Captain Crunch.

"Do you?" David asked kindly. Unlike his wife, Charming was willing to trust Emma and her tenuous relationship with Regina regarding Henry.

"Sort of," he mumbled some more.

"It's ok to admit it kid. She was your mom for ten whole years, and from the way you've turned out, she did a pretty decent job. She just got scared when I rolled into town and made some...well, really stupid choices," Emma said, thinking back on all the havoc Regina had wreaked just because of Emma. Maybe magic wasn't the only thing to blame.

"Well she shouldn't have done any of that and she shouldn't be using magic. Bad things happen when people use magic. Why doesn't she understand that?!" Henry said, his tone getting higher as he got more upset.

"Calm down Henry," Emma said, trying to be soothing. She wasn't really sure if it was. Placing a hand on Henry's arm, she sat beside him at the island, her own bowl of cereal sitting in front of her. "You're just going to have to show her why it's bad."

"Ok," Henry finally responded, giving the blonde a half-smile. Emma relaxed, and she felt the tension in her abdomen dissipate. She was still so new to parenting that sometimes she found herself holding her breath or tightening up in a conversation with Henry. She wondered how Regina always seemed so entirely at ease speaking with Henry, even when he was upset with her. Emma wondered if she'd ever get the hang of it.

A few hours later she shrugged into her red leather jacket and searched around her room for her keys and wallet. After moving around small piles of clothes and other items she managed to find both. She paused at the nightstand wondering if it was too much to wear her badge to lunch. Technically she had the day off, as it was Sunday, but she thought it might still be worth wearing. She shook her head of the thought, she couldn't intimidate Regina if she tried. And what was the point? She just wanted to get along.

Henry seemed animated in the bug as they made their way over to Granny's despite his initial feelings that morning over breakfast. Emma was beginning to get nervous again, but she wasn't sure if it was because of Regina or Henry. She just had to keep telling herself that this was important, that it would make Henry happy, and it'd stop Regina from trying to ruin everyone's life. She hoped.

The bell tinked as Emma walked in behind Henry, and right away she spotted the dark waves of Regina's head sitting in a booth back in the corner by herself. Henry spotted her as well, and slowly made his way over to the booth. She didn't bother to look up until Henry squeaked out a small hello.

"Henry," Regina smiled, her features changing completely as she took in her son. "I'm so glad you came," she said, waving her hand to the other side of the booth so he'd take a seat. He climbed into the booth across from her and Emma slid in beside him. She noticed Regina already had a cup of coffee, half of it gone.

"Morning Regina," Emma said quietly.

"It's afternoon now dear, you're late," Regina replied smoothly. She didn't sound angry, just stating a fact. Emma glanced up at the wall and noted that it was already 12:17. She grunted. Ruby stepped over to the table and gave Emma an inquisitive look, her eyebrows going up in surprise. She set two menus down for Emma and Henry. Emma merely smiled.

"Two hot cocoas I'm guessing," she said with a smile as she looked at mother and son.

"Yup!" Henry smiled enthusiastically. "And I want the ham and cheese."

"Emma?" Ruby prompted.

"Number 2 for me."

"And for you Regina?" Ruby asked, her smile faltered as she turned to the imposing woman's side of the booth.

"Just the salad for me," she said, not bothering to look at Ruby. She simply stared at her coffee cup.

"Ok guys I'll put it in right away and be back with the cocoa," Ruby smiled, addressing Emma as she picked up the menus again. Emma gave her a kind smile and turned to look at Regina.

"Seriously?"

"What?" Regina asked, confused. She'd been cordial, hadn't she?

"Just a salad?"

"Some of us can't just wolf down a burger every day for lunch. Besides, it's disgusting," Regina said, her lip curling in disdain.

"Is your metabolism catching up with your true age?" Emma snorted. Regina balked at the statement but her lip curled into a grin as she turned to Henry instead of retaliating.

"So Henry tell me about school," she said sweetly, her entire body changing as she switched into her mothering mode. The transformation was instantaneous and amazing to Emma. She hadn't seen it happen this close before. Her entire body softened, her facial features changed and smoothed, and her tone of voice was light. It was like she was an entirely different woman. Emma blinked.

"Umm, it's fine I guess. I got a B+ on my last project. Most of it is pretty boring though," the little boy shrugged. He'd much rather go on grand adventures than continue his real world education.

"A B+?" Regina clucked, her tone disapproving. Henry's cheeks began to turn red as he prepared for a lecture.

"We put a constellation in the wrong place," Emma sighed, shrugging her shoulders to say 'like anyone knows where those are.' Regina rolled her eyes.

"I thought you liked astronomy Henry," Regina tried again, keeping her tone even and trying to not get upset that the woman in front of her might destroy her son's grades.

"I do! But we were gonna watch Men In Black that night and I messed up at the last minute," Henry said. Regina again turned to Emma and gave her a look of disdain.

"What? The kid had never seen MIB. That's classic Will Smith. Just as important of an education if you ask me."

"I _didn't_ ask you Miss Swan," Regina snarled. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Henry tense up. Immediately she felt hurt, her gut clenching. Even when her tone got angry Henry assumed the worst. Regina sighed. "His grades are very important, his future depends on them."

"Oh?" Emma asked, confused.

"It's my understanding you need an excellent academic record to go to a good university, do you not?" Regina asked, her smile growing wider. "I suppose you don't much about that, do you Miss Swan?"

Emma scowled as Regina continued to sneer at her.

"No, I don't," Emma said quietly. "But I don't think you do either, considering you're not even from this world."

"Techinically, you're not either dear. But Henry is, and it has always been my intent to send him to an excellent school."

"What?!" Henry exclaimed.

"You want to go to a good college, don't you?" Regina asked Henry, her tone changing once again. It gave Emma whiplash to see Regina change from the two women completely so easily. It seemed there truly was so much more to Regina than met the eye.

"I don't want to go to college I want to learn how to swordfight," Henry whined.

Luckily the growing tension was cut as Ruby came over with two hot cocoas.

"Order's almost up," she said, backing away from the booth quickly. She could _smell _the tension at the table. It was unbearable. Henry began sipping his cocoa and Emma gave him a sidelong glance.

"Right now you should just focus on being a kid," Emma said, palming her cup of cocoa. The weight of the mug in her hand comforted her. "It's over before you know it."

Regina's eyes softened at Emma's statement, and she stared down into her own mug. Emma saw the sadness in her eyes before they fell, and she suddenly felt bad about her statement, even if it was true.

"Your mom's right though, you know," Emma stated, trying to swallow her pride. Henry looked up, whip cream sticking to his lip. "She wants you to have a bright future. You've gotta get good grades to do that."

"But neither of you went to college," Henry said, licking his lips. He was trying to use the women's words from before against them. Both of them winced. Regina opened her mouth to respond but Emma beat her to the punch.

"We both just want what's best for you. We want you to have what we didn't have. Right...Madame Mayor?" Emma stumbled, wanting to call her Regina. Regina looked upset, but why, Emma wasn't sure.

"It's Regina," she replied quietly. Henry's eyebrows went into his hairline. Emma looked at her in surprise.

"Right Regina?" Emma said, not missing a beat.

"She's right Henry," the older woman said, addressing her son. "We're both trying to look out for you. I just...I'm not the best at it sometimes," she admitted.

Regina's dark brown eyes linked with Emma's green ones and they exchanged hearfelt glances. Regina wanted to look away, but found she couldn't. Luckily, Ruby arrived with their food.

"Here you go guys," she said with a smile, setting each of their orders down in front of them. Henry dug into his fries as Emma squirted ketchup onto both of their baskets of food. Regina slowly unraveled her silverware set and placed the napkin in her lap. Both Henry and Emma's sets remained untouched. Emma gave Regina a smirk before digging into her burger. She knew the blonde was silently teasing her for her manners, but somehow Regina felt a smile find its way onto her lips.

Damn that stupid woman.

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**As always reviews are appreciated. I promise a beefier update next time! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I probably took so long updating that no one will read this now. But hey, if you do, please know that I've mapped out where this story might go, and from now on I guess it's an AU. Mostly in the sense that I plan on following the show up until Cora's death and then kind of going my own path from there. So whatever happens in the next two weeks may or may not come into play (probably not to be honest). I also wanna give you all the heads up that to my mind, Regina can't leave town. Yes, I know she told Hook that she can, but I feel like nothing up until that moment supports that. Plus it helps my story if she can't ;). So again, kinda getting AU up in here. Anyway, enough rambling, enjoy if you're still out there fair readers.**

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Before leaving the diner that afternoon, Emma swapped numbers with Regina in the hopes of being able to properly plan more get-togethers with Henry. Of course, Regina already had the sheriff's number, and Emma had the number for Regina's office, but it was different having one another's personal cell number. Regina had to admit, having a way to contact Emma should the need arise was nice. It made her feel better about Henry hopping into the yellow bug on the corner instead of her Benz. It still hurt, to watch her little boy walk away from her and follow the blonde woman home, but she knew she was getting more than she deserved. She'd do whatever it took to win him back. One lunch at Granny's at a time.

Emma chatted happily with Henry on the way home, finally letting the knot in her stomach unclench. She didn't realize until she got back to the loft how nervous she had been. After telling David and Mary Margaret how the day went Emma left Henry to his comics and made her way to her room. Flopping down on the bed she sighed. Well, she was still alive. Regina had been civil and was even quite funny at times. She'd never shown her humor before. Or perhaps Emma had never noticed before. She pulled her phone out of her jacket pocket and resisted the urge to text the older woman. Over lunch Emma realized that Regina was one of the few people in town that didn't grate on her nerves after a while. Maybe it was the fact that she was running from her fairytale past while everyone else was trying to get back. After a few minutes she caved, and a new text message window had been opened.

_ Thanks for coming to lunch, Henry had a great time. I did too actually. We'll find a time to have Henry be with you again soon. -Emma_

Emma hit the send button and let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She realized that she wanted to impress the former queen. There was a part of her that wanted her approval. Maybe it was because she knew so much about Henry, had taken care of him for so long without any help, that Emma yearned for the woman's acceptance. Her phone buzzed and her heart began racing. She opened her texts to find a reply from Regina.

_Thanks for the invite Miss Swan. I enjoyed seeing Henry. I suppose I can stomach seeing more of you. How does dinner at my house this Wednesday evening sound? -Regina _

Emma couldn't help it when a smile began to spread on her face. Well, it was definitely a start. Now all she had to do was remain calm until Wednesday.

The rest of the day went by quickly, Monday was long and boring as usual, and Tuesday was much the same until dinner rolled around. Mary Margaret made chicken and mashed potatoes, and Emma was half-heartedly trying to get Henry to eat his green beans. She tried to hide a smile as David slowly stole them off of Henry's plate as the little boy stifled his giggles. Emma may not have gotten the chance to have a dad like David when she was little, but she was glad he was around now, especially with Henry being under their roof. If she had to parent him all by herself Emma was certain the kid would be dead by now. She still had a ways to go on being the ideal parent. After they'd finished up and the dishes had been cleared, David and Henry took off to talk sword fighting techniques while Emma dried the dishes Mary Margaret was handing her.

"Emma can I ask you something?" Mary Margaret asked as she scrubbed plates in the sink.

"Sure, what's up?" Emma responded casually.

"Where do you see this going with Regina?"

Emma nearly dropped the plate she was drying. Well, there went her quiet evening with the parents. "I don't know just yet," she answered honestly. "Why?"

"Well you know no good can come of it," Mary Margaret said matter-of-factly.

"Says who?" Emma asked, already annoyed. Naturally her mother wouldn't be thrilled with Emma's choice to reunite Henry with his adoptive mother, but she wasn't in the mood to discuss it at the moment. And besides, it was the right thing to do, and isn't that what her family was all about? Be the hero? Do the right thing? She'd been running from the right thing for so long it was about time she actually grew up and did something about it. Any other mother would be proud.

"I just think that maybe you should think about what you're doing before you go any further," Mary Margaret said, sloshing the soapy dish water as she reached for silverware.

"Maybe I already have thought about it," Emma seethed.

"Look, Emma. I just want what's best for you. Both of us do," Mary Margaret said, indicating to David in the other room. "We want you and Henry to be safe and you know that's not possible with Regina. We're just looking out for you."

Emma let a out a mirthless laugh. "28 years later and you're still not getting it right. No wonder Regina can't stand anyone in this town." Mary Margaret gasped and she dropped a cup back into the soapy water. Emma winced and already regretted letting that particular sentiment slip.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Mary Margaret hissed.

"It means that apparently there is only one woman in this whole damn town who doesn't see the world in black and white. It's like some defect from your land." At Mary Margaret's glare, Emma noticed her mistake. "_Our _land. But you know what, that's the thing," Emma huffed as she angrily put her hands on her hips. "It's not my land. And here in this world, not everything is good or bad, right and wrong. Sometimes the lines get blurred. And sometimes doing the right thing means figuring out a way to make sure Henry's childhood doesn't get turned upside down like mine did all the time. That means letting Regina in his life. And you're going to have to deal with that."

After Emma said her piece she threw down her dish towel. It felt like she had hot lead churning in her stomach, and her fingers tingled with an odd sensation. Not wanting to stick around for a counter argument from her mother, she swiftly grabbed her keys and jacket and left the apartment, the door slamming behind her. She knew she should have said something before she left, to make it known she was only going out to clear her head, but she was too angry to give Mary Margaret the satisfaction. Besides, she was a grown ass woman. Just because she had parents now didn't mean she had to tell them everything.

Once she'd fired up the bug and peeled out of her spot on the curb, Emma swiftly realized there wasn't really any place for her to go. She wasn't in the mood for crowds or noise, so that ruled out The Rabbit Hole and Granny's. The only person she considered close enough to a friend was Ruby, and she was probably working. Not to mention the fact that while Ruby could be understanding, more so than her parents, she was still wary of Regina at times. Regina. Was she a friend? Not really. But then, what did Emma know of friendship? Not much. It wasn't a surprise then when she found herself slowly pulling up outside her large mansion.

As Emma killed the engine and flipped off the headlights, she noticed one light was on downstairs, in what appeared to be Regina's study. Good, she was home. And awake. Of course, it was only about 8 o'clock, but Emma realized she knew little of the woman's private life. Which was very private indeed. Emma blew out a breath and gripped the steering wheel. _What in the hell am I doing here? _she thought to herself. She fished her phone out of her jacket pocket and noticed 2 missed calls from Mary Margaret. Emma snorted. _Fat chance of me answering that right now. _And that was when she decided, opening up the car door and making her way to the front door, knocking a few times on the large white door of 108.

"Can I help you Miss Swan?" Regina very nearly drawled, standing in the doorway of her large home.

Not knowing what to say, and not really having a good reason for knocking on the woman's door, Emma simply blurted the first thing she could think of. "Got any relatively harmless spells that'll make my mother shut up?"

Regina gave a throaty chuckle, not a fake one she often used but one that Emma knew to be genuine, her dark waves shaking as she laughed. "My, my sheriff you should be careful what you say. People will think you're becoming like me." Regina's eyebrow arched as she challenged the blonde. "What has mommy Snow White done to upset you so?"

"A whole list of things," Emma grumbled, taking Regina's smile as permission to enter, and she forced her way inside and started towards the study. Regina was shocked at Emma's brash entrance, but found that it might be entertaining to hear her go on about her annoying mother, so she let it slide, closing the door and following her into the study.

"Got any of that famous apple cider of yours?" Emma asked as she flopped unceremoniously onto the sofa.

"Certainly Miss Swan," Regina smiled, heading towards the bar to grab two glasses.

"It's Emma, remember?" Emma said with a sheepish smile. Regina spun around in the doorway to glance at Emma.

"Right," she said, a hint of a smile on her lips before she turned away and headed for the kitchen. Emma felt herself begin to relax as she waited in the study for Regina to return. True, the mayoral mansion was quite large, but Emma liked it. The minimalist style suited Regina. She had expected a more lavish décor for a former queen, but the clean look of everything was much more fitting. Regina quickly returned with the cider, and she took her seat across from Emma.

"I'm sorry by the way, for just busting in here. I didn't really have any place to go and I was rather..."

"Angry?" Regina finished for her. "I noticed dear," she said, her eyebrow quirking up. "You could always leave town," she quipped. Emma's eyebrows went up. "It was a joke."

"Really?" Emma replied with a snide smile.

"Truly. I have no intention of attempting to get rid of you anymore Miss..._Emma._ You make my son happy. That's enough for me."

"Hmm," Emma replied, sipping her cider.

"You also defend me, though I can't fathom why," Regina admitted quietly. The last thing Regina wanted was to appear weak, or to make Emma think she needed defending at all, but she still had the desire to thank her somehow.

"Because," Emma shrugged, as if that one word and look was enough to explain. "Yeah you've made some pretty poor choices, but not everything that goes wrong in this town is automatically your fault."

"Well I...appreciate that," Regina responded, faltering slightly. "I don't need you to though."

Emma laughed at that, and Regina's eyebrows knit together in confusion. "Of course women like you and me don't need someone defending us. Doesn't mean it wouldn't be nice if someone had done it for us once or twice in our life. Right?"

"I suppose so," Regina consented. Then her face scrunched up in thought. "What do you mean, 'women like us'?"

Emma smirked, and Regina felt a not unpleasant fluttering in her stomach. "Women who no one believes in," Emma replied softly.

"This whole town believes in you M-Emma!" Regina blurted, her voice going higher than usual in her irritation. "Hell, my own son believes in you more than anyone. You're the Savior."

"Yeah well, no one ever believed in me before. And it won't take long for this town and Henry to figure out their faith was misplaced."

"What does that mean?"

"I'm no Savior Regina," Emma said quietly. She threw her head back and downed the rest of the cider. "Just like you're no Evil Queen."

"Good luck convincing everyone else in town," Regina said with a wicked smile. "We play the parts we're given."

"Screw that," Emma spat, getting angry again. The pressure of being a mother to a son she'd given up and savior to an entire town was starting to strain the young woman. Regina noticed, for the first time, the bags under Emma's eyes and the lines etched into her forehead. She was tired, and worried, and most of all, angry about it.

"I'm afraid no matter the choices we make, people will only see us as one thing or another," Regina said softly.

"That's fucking stupid," Emma muttered, her heart racing as she thought about her fight with Mary Margaret. As much as she wanted to love the woman, it was proving to be rather difficult. The new knowledge of Marco's transgression to save August had been silently eating at her as well. She could have had a mother. She wouldn't have grown up in the system. Her life would have been different. Thinking about it again she seethed, gripping her empty glass tighter. Her fingers began to tingle again, a not unpleasant but persistent feeling.

Regina had been slowly sipping her cider as she watched Emma. After her last crass statement she saw the woman's face tighten, it was obvious she was mulling over something. Whatever it was that had made her so angry and brought her over to the house. Regina still wasn't sure just what had set the blonde off, but it was definitely affecting the woman. Emma's slender fingers gripped the glass tighter, her knuckles turning white, and that's when Regina noticed it.

"Emma..." Regina said, the other woman's name quietly falling out of her mouth, almost like a prayer. Emma was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't hear her. She didn't budge, didn't blink. "Emma," Regina tried again, more urgent this time. She could feel the energy coming off the other woman in waves, could practically smell it in the air. Regina knew more than most what these signs pointed to. The blonde continued to toil with her own issues. "Emma, dear, you need to calm down," Regina commanded, quiet but still strong in her voice.

Emma blinked, hearing Regina's voice. Her body relaxed as she looked up into warm brown eyes. Regina's face held a look of, what was that? Concern? Fear? Understanding? Emma wasn't sure. All she knew was that she felt like she was going crazy. Her entire body itched, and her mind raced.

"Are you all right dear?" Regina asked, her eyes staying focused on the green ones before her.

"I..." Emma wasn't sure. Was the cider getting to her? She'd only had the one glass. "Sorry," Emma finally stated, her breathing going back to normal and her heart rate slowing. She had never pegged Regina for being a calming person, but in this moment she was. There was a soft side to her she'd never noticed before now.

"No need to apologize," Regina smiled. "But may I ask you something?" Her head tilted to the side, like a curious animal. Emma nodded. "Have you...performed any magic lately?"

"What?" Emma spluttered, thrown by the question. It was the last thing she thought Regina would ask. "N-no. Why?"

Regina's eyebrow arched as she thought. "Have you ever felt a tingling sensation? In your hands or your chest? A sort of feeling in your gut that you couldn't explain?" Regina continued to stare at the blonde.

"I...yes," Emma whispered.

"Just now?"

"Yes..."

"I see."

"That's magic?" Emma asked. Regina merely nodded. "That's magic?!" Emma cried, repeating herself.

Regina gave her a slow smile. "Yes dear, that's magic. Luckily you have enough control to reign it in. At least just now you did. Perhaps if I hadn't asked you to calm down-"

"I've felt that before, earlier tonight-"

"During your fight with your mother?" Regina asked, cutting her off. "You sense it when you're angry. It makes sense."

Emma's eyebrows knit together in confusion, and she set down her empty glass, afraid now that she'd somehow damage it unintentionally. "How does that make sense?"

"Magic is emotion. When you first learn to use magic, anger is often the first emotion that lets you _feel_ the magic. It's easy. There's a lot of emotion and energy in anger. It's also often why magic is so dangerous, if anger is the quickest and easiest way to access it," Regina said simply. Emma's mouth opened in surprise.

"I knew I had magic but..." Emma stopped, deciding to work through her thoughts silently.

"But what?" Regina prodded.

"Can you perform magic without being angry?" Emma asked, her eyes wide as she looked at Regina. The brunette had to struggle not to laugh.

"Certainly you can. It's much more difficult and takes a lot of hard work and practice. But happiness is a strong emotion as well, and can fuel magic that is just as great," Regina explained. "I confess that I myself don't know much about it." Her eyes fell from the green ones she'd been looking at, and she pretended to be suddenly much more interested in the almost empty glass in her lap.

"But it's possible? Regardless of the emotion, as long as there's enough you can do magic?" Emma wondered, noticing how the older woman's mood had changed.

"Anything's possible, you should know that. But yes," Regina answered quietly, still focusing on her lap.

"Regina..." Emma began quietly. She couldn't resist, the brunette looked up and connected with green eyes once more. "Can you teach me?"

Her eyes went wide, almost comically so, boring into Emma's. Her jaw dropped and it felt like her stomach did three or four flips all in a row. "You...you want me to teach you?" Regina asked, her answer only a whisper. It was like all of the wind had been knocked out of her. She felt like she did that first day she found out Emma even had magic at all.

"Please?!" Emma very nearly begged. "Teach me how to control it."

"Control it?"

"To use it. To do magic."

"Miss Swan..."

"_Emma_," she stressed.

"Emma...I'm not sure that's a good idea," Regina tried, knowing she didn't sound entirely convincing.

"And since when did that stop you?" Emma smirked, the smile sending a shiver up Regina's spine.

"I'll...think about it," Regina consented. After all, wouldn't it be better if the blonde knew how to control herself? She might end up hurting someone if she didn't have some guidance in the matter. Still, it was a little terrifying to consider. Wasn't she herself trying to quit? What would Henry think?

"Sure, think about it," Emma smiled, showing she didn't want to pressure the older woman. "We can talk about it more tomorrow night when I bring Henry over." Emma suddenly realized how long she'd been talking to Regina. "Sorry again that I sort of just...barged in."

"It's quite all right Miss Swan," Regina said, her voice slipping into the slightly annoyed and bored mayoral tone.

"I should get going," Emma said, standing up slowly form her position on the couch. Regina merely watched as she made to leave. Once again, she turned around in the doorway. "And thank you."

"Whatever for Miss...Emma?" Regina asked casually, though she ached to know. Staring at the blonde in her study doorway, she wasn't sure how she felt.

"For everything," Emma smiled, her eyes crinkling at the edges. After a moment she turned and left, and once again Regina heard the soft click of her front door, and she was alone once more.

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**Reviews and random comments are nice as always, and hopefully I can get the next chapter up faster than last time! xx**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hello again fair readers, I managed to not go so long between updates! Plus this one is a bit longer I think. I will warn you that this chapter has a bit of smut happening so be aware of that. I'd also like to point out that yes, this is a Swan Queen fic. Apparently there's some doubt. Don't worry, I'm just taking it slow and building the relationship (which to me is the most interesting part). I also wanna remind you that from here on out I'm ignoring the show. Heaven knows what's going to happen on Sunday, so I'm just stating now that from Welcome to Storybrooke on I'm sort of doing my own thing. And honestly Greg and Tamara will probably never come into play. Sorry but this story is all about my two favorite ladies and sometimes Henry and the two idiots. Enjoy.**

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Regina nearly dropped the large album she'd been carrying as she entered the study. An annoying, lanky blonde had somehow made herself comfortable on the study sofa, her heavy boots crossed casually, propped up on the coffee table. Regina didn't even have time to be angry at the casualness that Emma exuded in her home, mostly because she was still trying to determine why she was in her home in the first place. She gripped the photo album she had in her hands, her knuckles turning white. Emma simply smirked at her, her eyebrows going up in an amused look.

"How'd you get in here?" Regina finally managed to growl, her voice low. Emma continued to smirk.

"I learned a new trick," Emma said vaguely. Regina closed the door and fully entered the study, taking a seat across from Emma as she set the photo album down on the coffee table.

"Excuse me?"

Emma slid her boots off the table and turned to face Regina straight on. She leaned close, elbows on her knees, and held up her right hand, wiggling her fingers. "I've been practicing."

Regina eyes narrowed as she asked, "Practicing what Miss Swan?"

"Magic," Emma smiled, her smirk turning into a full blown grin.

"You...what?!" Regina spluttered. What did she mean? Had she magicked her way into the house as it seemed she was suggesting? What else could she do? And why was Regina so nervous?

"Mmm hmmm," Emma practically purred. "It's easier than I thought. Just thought really hard about what I wanted, and the door swung open."

"And what is it you want Miss Swan?" Regina asked, swallowing nervously.

"I figured you knew," Emma said simply, her smirk back in place. Regina stood up, leaving the photo album on the coffee table. She was going through old photos of her and Henry when she'd come back to the study to find Emma there. Maybe the photos had dredged up a lot of feelings, and it had left her vulnerable and scared, but whatever was happening right now made Regina wary. Something was off. And so she made to escape to the kitchen for a glass of water. As she stood and began to make her way to the door, Emma's voice stopped her. "Regina?"

She turned, her face working hard not to betray the confusion she felt at the situation. "I don't know what you could possibly want from me. And I think you should leave." Her breathing became irregular as she became more and more anxious. Emma got up from the sofa slowly. Regina felt frozen in place just before the door of the study.

"You told me magic came from emotion. Haven't you wondered how I managed to get in here?" Emma said softly, still smiling. "You really don't know what I want?"

"I..." Regina began, but she was still confused and unsure. Emma stood, confident, in her skinny jeans and large boots, a black tank top on underneath her signature red leather jacket. Her long mess of curls looked soft in the low light of the study, and her green eyes were piercing. Regina continued to breath erratically.

"You have no idea, do you?" Emma whispered as she stepped forward, each deliberate step bringing her closer to the brunette woman before her. Regina didn't move, didn't flinch, and her brown eyes merely watched in wonder. Emma soon found herself standing mere inches away from her face. "You don't know what it is that you do to me."

Regina blinked, her brain incapable of comprehending what the blonde had just said. She didn't have time to recover as she suddenly felt herself being pushed backward and shoved up against the wall of the study just beside the door. To her right, the door, to her left, a bookshelf. And just before her, her face so close and smirk still in place, was Emma Swan. Regina blinked once more before the other woman's lips were on hers.

_What...what is going on_, she thought, her back arching in pleasure up against the wall. Emma's hands had been on her biceps, keeping her pinned, but now they began to roam. Touching her face, her waist, her breasts. She felt the young woman's fingers wander over her crisp white dress shirt, felt them slide up and down her black pencil skirt. Her lips came again and again until finally Regina relented, letting her tongue slip in. She found herself reveling in the warmth and the sensation she felt as her lips continued to crash into hers.

"God, Regina," Emma moaned into her mouth. The sheriff's body was keeping her pinned against the wall, not roughly, but enough to cause friction and a growing need in Regina's core. She knew it was wrong, that this shouldn't have been happening, but god it felt so good. Suddenly she knew what Emma meant when she'd explained how she'd gotten in, about how she'd accessed her magic. As the sheriff continued to press into her, she felt her own emotions well up inside her. He fingers tingled, and she knew Emma had to be feeling the same.

Emma began trailing kisses down Regina's neck, and the brunette couldn't help but let a small moan escape her lips. She felt Emma smile into her collar bone. "I think I like magic," Emma said. Regina could feel the energy in the room, felt the goose bumps begin to rise on her arms. The presence of both women's magic was overwhelming. Emma worked her way back up Regina's neck and began to leave kisses up her jawline. Regina leaned her head back against the wall, giving Emma more space to work. The blonde began nibbling on her ear.

"Emma," Regina whispered. She wasn't sure what to say, she had so many questions swirling in her head. She couldn't think straight, not when the young woman was pressing her thigh into her core and her lips were sucking on her ear.

"Yes your majesty?" Emma finally asked, pulling away from Regina's ear to look her in the eyes. She paused in her exploration of the former queen, and it gave Regina time to think and process.

"Emma," Regina began again, but she wasn't sure how to start. All she knew was that her whole body tingled and she wanted more.

"I have an idea," Emma said, breathy from their antics. It made Regina's spine shiver. Emma placed her hands around Regina's biceps again and pressed against her before closing her eyes. Before Regina could ask, the pair disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke. Regina knew the feeling, and wasn't alarmed when she felt the weightlessness just before her being rearranged itself in its new location. The odd part was knowing that she wasn't the one controlling it. She blinked, attempting to figure out what had happened, when she suddenly felt the weight of someone on top of her.

Regina was lying in her bed, and Emma was staring at her from above, like a cat getting ready to pounce. Emma had transported them upstairs, and now she was pinned to her own comforter. _How did she..._Regina thought, but somehow Emma must have known what she was thinking.

"I told you I've been practicing. I think I've found the right emotion," Emma smiled, not the same cocky smirk from before, but an honest smile.

"Lust?" Regina asked throatily. She meant to sound condescending, but it somehow came out wrong. She realized she was nervous.

"No," Emma laughed softly. "Love."

Regina sat up abruptly, her breathing heavy, her eyes bleary. Her bedroom was dark, and she was alone. Glancing over at her nightstand she saw the alarm clock read 4:53AM. With a heavy sigh her heart began to slow down. It was a dream. A weird and incredibly vivid dream. _Your mind's just playing tricks on you Regina_, she thought, as she sunk back down into bed and rested her head on her pillow. She stared up at the ceiling in the dark, waiting for her heartbeat and breathing to slow once more. Somehow she felt a pang of loss. As if she was sad that she had woken up.

No, she was just nervous that Emma wanted to learn magic. Her subconscious was merely interpreting her fears in a, well, rather strange way. What was more strange was the fact that in the dream Emma hadn't barged in and been violent. She didn't even mention Henry once in the dream. It made more sense to her that if Emma had somehow mastered the power inside of her, she'd destroy Regina's whole world. In the dream, however, she'd confessed her love for Regina. Love? From Emma Swan? For _her_? The brunette let out another audible sigh._ Ridiculous,_ she thought. Dreams weren't supposed to make sense. In the other world people had placed a lot of importance on dreams. But Regina knew it was a pointless endeavor, and here dreams were just those strange thoughts in your brain coming to the surface as you slept.

_So what does it say that my brain made Emma come onto me? _a small voice in the back of Regina's mind asked. She turned onto her side, staring at the alarm clock, as if she could simply show her back to her stupid thoughts and they would disappear. The dream meant nothing. Emma meant nothing. The sooner she forgot about the entire thing, the better.

* * *

Emma and Henry were all smiles that afternoon as the pair joked around the apartment. They were cleaning, but it had eventually turned into a war of throwing dirty laundry at one another. Henry had hid behind the couch, and Emma was holed up under the kitchen table. Shrieks and giggles filled the apartment as t-shirts and socks flew through the air. Eventually they ran out of steam, and panted, out of breath, as they finally began to pick up all the clothes they'd strewn across the loft. Emma vaguely wondered if she could magically clean it up with a snap of her fingers.

She had bent over to pick up one of Henry's flannel shirts when she blinked. How many times had she wished she could clean her room just by thinking it? That she could magically do her chores? And now she had the means to do that. Well, in theory.

"Don't think too hard," Henry joked, seeing his mother paused in thought.

"Umm, what?" Emma asked, coming out of her thoughts as she grabbed the shirt and tossed it into the basket.

"What's wrong with you?" Henry asked, smiling. He enjoyed the banter he and Emma often shared. Regina never joked.

"Henry, what would you say if I said I wanted to learn magic?" Emma blurted out. She knew Henry was constantly upset at his adoptive mother's use of magic. She had to be sure if she actually got help from Regina, he'd be ok with it.

"Ummm, I don't know," Henry said, wary. On one hand, he liked the idea of Emma being able to use magic. On the other hand, magic always came with a price.

"I've used it before," Emma pointed out. Henry smiled, remembering the times Emma had helped his family by using her newly found power.

"Yeah, I guess it'd be ok. Because you'd use it for good."

Emma sighed. She knew it was a double standard, and she was hoping to rectify it before upsetting Regina. "What if your mom used magic again?"

"Is she?!" he asked, his voice rising in panic.

"Well, no. Not that I know of. Not right now anyway," Emma shrugged. Not yet, she wanted to say. "Don't you think that's unfair? To let me use magic but not your mother?"

"But she always uses it for evil," Henry lamented. He was trying to forgive his mother, but sometimes it was hard, especially when he remembered all of her misdeeds.

"Ok, but what if she started using it for good?" Emma asked, looking intently at Henry. She wanted him to really think about it.

"I _guess._.."

"And what if she helped me with my magic?" Emma asked quietly. She prayed her son would understand.

"Did she say that?" Henry asked, curious now. He could never imagine his mother helping Emma with magic.

"We're talking about it. I want to learn. So I can protect you, and Mary Margaret and David. And I feel...stronger. I need to know how to control it. I think your mom can help me," Emma said with a smile. She ruffled Henry's hair. "And I think I can help her be good. How does that sound?"

"That's good I guess," Henry said, his face beaming. His mom was the savior. Of course she could help the Evil Queen and save her too. Maybe it was a good thing to have magic. "She offered to teach me once."

"Really?" Emma asked. She had no idea Regina had ever mentioned showing Henry how to use magic. Or if the boy even could. "Do you have magic?"

"I don't know. I guess she thought I did. I told her I didn't want to be like her," Henry said, his smile slipping and a look of hurt blossoming on his face.

"Hey, kid, it's ok. You don't ever have to worry about it again. Your mom's gonna teach me how to control my magic and I'm gonna help her use hers for good. We're on the same team now," Emma said. Henry's smile began to come back. "All right let's actually get this place cleaned up before Mary Margaret chews us out."

"Can't you use your magic?" Henry snarked.

"Hey!" Emma laughed. "I don't know anything yet. I'm gonna talk to your mom about it tonight after dinner, ok?"

"'Kay."

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Regina had made lasagna, knowing it was her strongest dish and Henry's favorite. It shouldn't have surprised her then when Emma scarfed down three pieces. The women shared some red wine, while Henry chatted happily about his latest comics. Regina actually found herself smiling and relaxing. She felt at ease, even with Emma there. She thought it'd be awkward, especially after her strange dream. But she'd reminded herself that Emma would never know about her thoughts from the early hours that day, and she slipped into easy conversation with Emma and laughter with her son.

After the plates had been cleared and put into the sink, Regina brought out the red velvet cake she'd made earlier that afternoon and began slicing up pieces and serving. Emma licked her lips greedily, she loved red velvet.

"I can't believe you did all this," Emma said, genuinely amazed at Regina's prowess in the kitchen.

"I have a lot of time on my hands lately," Regina explained. While that was true, she'd often cooked and baked amazing things throughout Henry's whole life. She'd worked hard to learn, and enjoyed showing off her talent. Having 28 years to perfect a few things was handy sometimes.

"Still, this is amazing," Emma said as she took her first bite of cake. "Oh, god," she practically moaned, and Regina's head snapped in her direction. She nearly dropped the piece of cake she'd been giving Henry. There was something about Emma's praise of her cooking...damn! The dream. It was practically the same. A soft moan of arousal. Regina cleared her throat, and attempted to clear her mind. Clearly no one else at the table was aware of what had transpired.

"Thank you," Regina said, annoyed at herself for her momentary lapse of control and the stupid blonde's inappropriate behavior. She began to eat her own slice of cake and attempted to calm down.

"So Emma says you're going to teach her how to do magic," Henry said between mouthfuls of cake. Regina nearly choked on her own bite. So much for calming down.

"She what?!" Regina growled once her airway was clear.

"Oh, uh, yeah," Emma mumbled. _Shit_.

"I think it's awesome!" Henry said proudly. He smiled before taking another bite of cake.

Regina was stunned. "You..you do?"

"Yeah! You can teach Emma how to control her magic, and she can teach how to use yours for good."

Emma felt the need to intervene. She could practically see the veins in Regina's arms and forehead straining. "We, uh, had a chat, about you possibly helping me. And how I might...help you."

"If you'll remember Miss Swan, we have more to discuss on the matter," Regina said with a glare. She then turned to Henry, who looked rather confused.

"I thought you didn't want me to use magic?" Regina asked softly, almost pleadingly. Emma once again felt the world spin as she watched Regina switch effortlessly into the role of concerned mother right before her eyes. She felt like she'd never get the hang of seeing the brunette fall in and out of certain personas so quickly.

"Well, I didn't," Henry admitted. "Because you use it for evil all the time." Regina tried her hardest not to flinch. Emma was unsuccessful. "But when Emma asked how I felt about her doing magic, I figured it was ok because she'd used hers for good. And she said it was unfair for her to be able to use it and not you. But she promised me she'd make sure you used yours for good from now on. So I guess it's ok."

"Is that what you want Henry?" Regina asked carefully. She wanted to believe her little boy, and she wanted to believe his words about Emma and what she had said. But with every time she felt close to happiness, she'd been burned. Even now, she was wary of her son. And it killed her inside to know she couldn't even trust him.

"Yeah. I know you're trying really hard and I'm glad I get to see you. I think things can go back to normal. Well, sort of. Especially if Emma helps you," Henry smiled, and he turned to check with Emma to be sure he was correct. Emma smiled back.

Regina couldn't help but let the hope in her chest begin to blossom. She knew it was a treacherous road she'd be walking, and she wasn't sure if she liked the idea at all, but if it meant making Henry happy and keeping him in her life, well...what else was there to do? She would have to accept the fact that keeping Henry as her son meant sharing him with Emma. While the idea used to terrify her beyond belief, she wasn't sure it was all that upsetting anymore. In fact, she rather liked the idea of having help for once. Someone to turn to, to count on. After all, being a single mother was incredibly difficult, even if she now had magic at her disposal. Maybe it wouldn't have to be like that anymore.

"Well Miss Swan-"

"Emma," the blonde immediately corrected. Regina sighed.

"Well Emma, it seems we have work to do," she said. She smiled at Henry, and his goofy grin made the hope in her chest grow even more. Yes, perhaps things _would_ work out. So long as her vivid dream from the night before never came true.

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**Oh goodness, what is happening to our dear queen? I think she's going soft. Remember dear readers that I love getting reviews and let's not forget how much I love a fave or follow. Makes me loved and want to write even more! I've also been asked if I have twitter or tumblr so if you'd like to follow me just drop me a message and I'll hook you up. Hope you liked it!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Well friends, sorry once again for the delay between updates. While everyone is celebrating the beginning of summer, I'm beginning another new job. (Sigh). But hopefully I can have a more regular routine now! I'm not particularly fond of this chapter but I'm not sure what else to do with it so here we go. Thanks to all who have reviewed, followed, and faved already. I love hearing from you all! Enjoy.**

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The soft glow of the study was eerily similar to Regina's dream from the night before. She'd tried very hard to forget the incident, but when Emma had moaned at the dinner table over her piece of cake, it had come rushing back. And now again, with Emma lounging comfortably on the sofa before her in the late evening hours, Regina couldn't help but think of the blonde's lips on hers and...

"Regina? Are you even listening to me?"

"Hmmm?" Regina replied, her eyes focusing once more on the woman before her. "I'm sorry I was...thinking."

"It's fine I...well I tend to ramble," Emma smiled softly. Henry had been put to bed a few hours ago, and the women had retired into the study for drinks and to discuss in private what had come up during dinner. "My point is, if this is something you don't wanna do, we don't have to."

"What do you mean?" Regina asked, her eyebrows quirking up involuntarily as she reached for her glass of cider. She hadn't really been paying attention to the sheriff.

"I mean if you don't wanna teach me, if...well if you're uncomfortable teaching me how to use my magic, or using yours, I'd understand," Emma explained, her features softening as she spoke. She almost looked worried, as if she'd somehow offended Regina in a roundabout way. "We've both probably been told one too many times what to do."

Regina wasn't sure how to respond. While she was still wary of teaching Emma anything, not to mention annoyed that the task had somehow become hers, she also liked the idea of Henry accepting her completely. While it was true that she'd worked very hard not to use magic at all, and she would continue to do so if he requested, the thought that Henry would actually enjoy her use of magic was a good sign. It meant he was that much closer to forgiving her. Perhaps he was on his way to accepting his mother wasn't the Evil Queen, and Regina knew she'd do everything in her power to convince him she was that woman no longer. If Emma was the key to making him believe in her again, then she'd have to use what was given to her.

"While I do appreciate that...Emma," Regina said with a hint of a smile. She was getting better at using the blonde's first name. "I assure that it's fine. Henry has requested it of me, and if that's what he wants, that's what we're going to do."

"He really does have you cornered doesn't he?" Emma chuckled.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I mean, what happened to that lady I met when I first got here? Not that I mind you're not yelling at him to do his homework and get in the car Henry and don't talk to her and all that jazz. But I mean you can't even discipline the kid anymore, can you?"

"I'm not sure what you're getting at," Regina nearly growled. She didn't like having the sheriff pointing out her weaknesses.

Emma scrubbed her face with her hand, feeling tired and annoyed at her lack of eloquence. "I'm not, jesus Regina, I'm not criticizing. I'm sorry. I'm sorry that you're walking on eggshells with him. Because that's what you're doing, isn't it?"

Regina felt herself relax, knowing that Emma wasn't trying to start a fight. It was strange, they'd gotten along the entire day with very little animosity. Perhaps Emma was right, the woman she used to be even in Storybook was no longer. "If I attempt to parent him in any way he takes it as me trying to control him. I've scared him. And I understand why. I can't fault him for being angry at me or even being afraid of me," Regina said, her voice getting quiet but her tone suggesting that Emma was on thin ice with this topic. Her stomach churned at the thought of her little boy cowering in fear of her. Scared that she'd cast a curse on him, scared that she'd keep him locked away in the mayoral mansion. She never wanted him to fear her ever again. "But yes, even if it's something simple as tuck in your shirt or pick up your shoes, he now takes that as the 'Evil Queen' in me attempting to rule his life."

"I'm sorry," Emma breathed.

"It's not your fault-"

"No it is. Well, part of it anyways. Sure, you used to be the Evil Queen but...it's more than that. I've undermined everything you tried to do for him. I came here and I...damn. I did what so many people have done to me. I took him away."

"He never would have run off with you in the first place if it wasn't for my wrongdoings Emma," Regina chided gently, though she had to admit it felt good to hear the blonde apologize. "If he still only knew me as his mother, it'd just be annoying. But now, now he knows he was right. I've wronged him, and he's holding me accountable for that. But he's also holding me accountable for everything else I've ever done. In this way he's irritatingly like your parents," Regina huffed. But she took in the woman before her and softened. "But I'm trying to be better for him. Now I'm trying to do the right things, even if I make mistakes...I'm still trying."

"I'm also sorry I ever doubted you," Emma whispered.

"Doubted me how?" Regina asked, confused.

"I didn't think you loved him. It's why I even bothered to stay in Storybook in the first place. Do you remember? On your front porch I asked-"

"Do I love him? And I said of course." The idea that Regina felt otherwise was unfathomable to her.

"And I didn't believe you."

Emma and Regina merely stared at each other. Despite all the bad blood, despite all the animosity and hostility, they both loved Henry. More than anything in the whole world, in _any_ world even. And in that moment both women realized that they were connected. They'd always be united on this front. For Henry. No matter how often they fought or disagreed, it was all for him.

Regina slowly took another sip of cider before deciding to tell Emma a story. She felt she owed it to the blonde to explain herself, seeing as she was trying with her as well. "You know, when he ran away to Boston, it was the first time in _years _that I had actually wished for magic again."

Emma's eyebrows perked up, sensing that Regina was about to reveal more of herself to her. She'd been doing that a lot lately. Well, so had Emma. She realized just how lonely the two of them were. "I'm sorry you went through that."

"I'd been catching up on some paperwork that evening, right in here actually. I'd had a council meeting earlier that day and was going over my notes," Regina said with a light chuckle. Emma's face scrunched up in confusion at Regina's laughter. "You know, it's funny. Everyone thinks now that I instated myself as mayor here because I have such a thirst for power, but I actually loved my job." Regina's face lit up with a genuine smile. "I worked very hard to make this town perfect. Especially once Henry came along."

"I had no idea," Emma admitted honestly. "Technically you are still mayor, aren't you?"

"Yes, I suppose. Though what's the point anymore?"

"I guess..."

Regina sighed. "Well anyways, I went upstairs and went to check on Henry before heading to bed. I sensed something wasn't right. He'd propped up some pillows under his comforter to make it appear he was asleep, but my gut told me something was off. I went to kiss him on the forehead and found a basketball."

Emma snorted. "Smart kid."

"Indeed," Regina smiled, but only briefly. "I panicked. I couldn't imagine what he was up to, especially since we had been at odds so often then. I called up Graham and had him come over immediately. We ran through a list of places he might have gone off to. The castle, the park, Archie's, a whole slew of places. We searched all over Storybook I never imagined he'd actually leave town..."

"But he did," Emma finished for her. "He found me."

"And as soon as I realized he'd left Storybook, I was so lost. Graham was still out patrolling at the time, looking for him, but I'd returned home. I knew. I knew he was gone, and I couldn't follow..."

"You mean?" Emma gasped. She hadn't put the pieces together yet. She figured Regina hadn't known where to go looking for Henry and had simply stayed in Storybook in case he turned up. She'd never imagined she couldn't leave town like everyone else. "You couldn't, you can't..."

"I may have enacted the curse Miss Swan, but I did not write it. It seems that even though I had control of many things, there were still a few that were beyond me. In order to protect the town from outsiders, no one could go in or out." Regina folded her hands in her lap and stared at them dumbly. She never should have trusted Rumplestiltskin. That day still haunted her, and even now she knew the possibility was still there. Henry could leave and she'd never be able to go after him.

"You knew who you were the whole time but you were still trapped. God Regina I had no idea..."

"And so there I was, stuck in this godforsaken town, unable to find my son, the one thing I loved. I tried to leave. My car would magically short out near the border. I tried to leave on foot but something always stopped me. I wandered lost in the woods for several hours, trying to escape, but the forest kept pointing me back into town. I knew after that it was useless. I couldn't follow him. He was not from our land and therefore he could go after you. I went home again and tried harder than I ever had to will my magic forth, that perhaps if I just wanted it bad enough it'd all cume rushing to my fingertips. Eventually I had to give up and I just prayed that he'd return to me."

"And then I showed up," Emma grunted, feeling guilty.

"And the rest is history," Regina added with a wicked grin. It lacked any form of glee however.

"That must have been terrifying. No wonder you were so relieved."

"I also knew immediately that if you had managed to come into town that you would be my undoing. Storybook had been hidden for 28 years, naturally only the Savior could have found her way here. And yet I told myself it couldn't be. I couldn't face it. That you had arrived. That you were his mother. And so I told myself it was a coincidence. That perhaps you'd gotten lucky or some other nonsense."

"I'm good at ignoring my problems too," Emma laughed. "If you pretend it's not happening maybe it won't." Emma smiled at the brunette.

"Precisely," Regina responded with a smile of her own. "I knew though, that I had to get rid of you, before everything fell apart."

"Regina...you say that Henry could leave because he's not from your land," Emma began, her brain already working on a theory. She leaned forward on the sofa and looked at the floor, concentrating.

"Yes, and?"

"But I'm from your land...and I came into town..."

"Because you're the Savior, what's your point?" Regina replied, growing irritated.

"No, that can't be it. I can_ leave _town. Henry pointed that out after I first decided to stay. I can leave town but Regina..._I'm_ from your world. That can't be why you can't leave Storybook," Emma said, finally looking up to meet eyes with the older woman.

"What are you suggesting?" Regina breathed, but she already knew. She knew exactly where Emma was headed with all of this.

"Regina, I think you can't leave because you're cursed," Emma said, shocked at her own conclusion. "Or, were cursed, I guess. What else can explain it? You said yourself you didn't write the curse, and look at what else that madman has done. To both of us!"

"Emma..."

"He gave you the curse but you wound up cursing _everyone_, including _you_," Emma breathed, starting to feel incredibly sorry for the other woman.

Regina merely blinked. She wasn't sure what to say. What if Emma was right? What if after all this time she'd been played once again by Rumple? She thought she was getting a happy ending, but he'd never guaranteed her one. The curse was merely a fresh start, a clean slate, a giant reset button. Just because she'd chosen a realm where magic no longer existed, it didn't mean she suddenly got her deepest desires. Emma Swan was right. Regina was cursed, just like the rest of them.

"I'm sorry Regina," Emma whispered. The brunette sat quietly, as if she was made of stone. Emma could only imagine she was in shock. "It probably never occurred to you-"

"No it hadn't," Regina replied, quickly snapping out of her reverie. "I should have known, but when I adopted Henry..."

"You thought you'd gotten your happy ending."

"And I had, at least, until you arrived."

"Regina I'm so sorry-"

"Don't," Regina snapped. She'd heard enough. It was all too much. "I think you should leave."

"Regina-"

"Please Miss Swan," Regina asked, her voice firm. "You can come for Henry in the morning just...please leave."

"Fine," Emma growled. She'd made so much progress with Regina and she couldn't believe this was the moment she'd decided she had enough. At least she promised to return Henry. Emma stood up from the sofa and quickly made her way to the study door, furious with herself and increasingly angry at the idiotic woman behind her. Goddamn that woman! Emma couldn't believe she thought things were changing. As she put her hand on the doorknob she paused. As annoying as Regina was, she didn't deserve to be left alone. Emma turned around, as she had so many times before in the same exact spot. She was pissed, but her heart was still in the right place.

"For what it's worth Regina? I wouldn't take him from you. I know the curse is broken now but I also know now that you still can't leave. And I promise you I'd never take him from you. I'm not fighting you anymore, but I'm also not running away. And that means we're both part of Henry's life now. If he didn't want me here I'd be gone, but he does, and so for now I stay. I'm sorry it upset your world but I'm not sorry it happened. No matter what, no matter who you used to be, or who I'm supposed to be, we're both here for Henry. Ok?"

And just like that, Emma walked out of Regina's house again, leaving her in a state of confusion worse than ever before. Regina suddenly felt very tired. The realization Emma had come to was weighing on her mind and it had already begun to give her a headache. True, she feared that perhaps Emma would take Henry and leave her, but her little speech seemed honest enough. No, it was entirely honest, and Regina knew it. She had to believe it was. And strangely enough, deep down, she did. For the first time in years, Regina was beginning to trust someone again.

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**Aaaand angry Regina is back. I mean come on guys, you didn't think they'd be all ~happy ending~ in just that short amount of time right? Coming up soon: Emma's first magic lesson! Who's pumped? Remember to review and what not you crazy kids. Hope you liked it, even if I didn't!**


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